Dover couple celebrates platinum wedding anniversary

Evelyn and Bill Dubin have the kind of love story that is a dream for many. They met in their teens, were married in their early 20s and as of Friday they've been married for 70 years.

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By Sarah Barbansarah.barban@doverpost.comTwitter: @SarahDoverPost

Dover Post

By Sarah Barbansarah.barban@doverpost.comTwitter: @SarahDoverPost

Posted May. 8, 2013 at 3:58 PM
Updated May 8, 2013 at 4:04 PM

By Sarah Barbansarah.barban@doverpost.comTwitter: @SarahDoverPost

Posted May. 8, 2013 at 3:58 PM
Updated May 8, 2013 at 4:04 PM

Dover, Del.

Evelyn and Bill Dubin have the kind of love story that is a dream for many. They met in their teens, were married in their early 20s and as of Friday they've been married for 70 years.

The couple met in 1938 when Bill moved in with his cousins to attend college at Drexel University in Philadelphia. His cousins lived across the street from the home of Evelyn's parents. He was 17 and she was 16.

"My younger sister, who was 11 at the time, fell hopelessly in love with him," Evelyn said. "She kept trying to introduce us but he had too many girlfriends to worry about me. He was loaded with girlfriends, he was gorgeous. He still is. One day my sister finally dragged him over to meet me."

Their first date was the night they attended Evelyn's high school prom. They dated on and off for several years but were never exclusive, the couple says.

After graduating from college the following December Evelyn began college at the University of Pennsylvania where she studied education. Bill was never able to finish his engineering degree; he joined the army in 1942.

They were married in 1943, just a month after Bill proposed. Evelyn graduated from college a month to the day later. They spent the next year traveling from military base to military base. He had a teaching job with the army and they would spend anywhere from a week to six months at any one base.

In 1944 Bill was stationed in the Pacific. Evelyn moved back with her parents and taught school in Philadelphia while Bill was gone.

Bill returned home roughly a year later and began working at the VA hospital. Their first child, a son, was born nine months later.

The couple moved to Dover in 1952 when Bill's father opened a liquor store, where bill worked until his retirement at the age of 70. They've seen Dover change a lot over the years.

When they first moved into the city Dover had a population of 6,500. It now has a population of more than 36,000. When the couple first built their house on Sunset Terrace everything between them and Spence's Bazar was farmland.

"There were only eight houses in the neighborhood and Waples Avenue was just a dirt track for the farm equipment," Bill said.

The Dubins had two more children along the way. When her children were old enough Evelyn began substitute teaching. They now have seven grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.

Eventually they both retired but every Tuesday for the past 20 years they have volunteered at Bayhealth Medical Center. These days Bill works in surgical waiting while Evelyn works in the medical staff office and crochets baby blankets. But over the years they've done a lot of jobs.

"We used to get called in during emergencies," Evelyn said. "We would also work on Christmas. We would pass out coffee and cookies."

Page 2 of 2 - One of their volunteer efforts even involved helping Bayhealth collect blood samples from children at a Chevy dealership. Evelyn said the hospital was aiming to help parents be able to identify their child in the event of an emergency.

"They're wonderful people," said Michele Campbell, credentialing manager for Bayhealth. "They're much more than just volunteers. We're like family."

Over the past 20 years, Bill and Evelyn have racked up almost 5,000 volunteer hours each.

After all the time they've spent together at home, on the road and volunteering together the Dubins have their fair share of advice to offer to other married couples.

"When you go to bed at night kiss and make up," said Bill. "Never go to sleep angry."

Both Bill and Evelyn also said that a marriage is something that both people involved have to work at.

"It's OK to argue but it's not OK to fight," Evelyn said. "Always say you love each other."